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Rather than corrupt Chucks Winchelsia folder I am adding a new one for photos of ships crew members. I commissioned the ones below several years ago and am in contact with the artist to see if he would be open to creating a bunch for us. He casts them then hand paints them. I have a couple of them on each of my models and I believe they enhance the appearance, especially for non-modelers. Keep in mind these are 1:48 scale and extremely hi-resolution photos. Actual figures are only 1.5" or so. I encourage others to post photos of high quality crew members here as well.

 

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Greg

website
Admiralty Models

moderator Echo Cross-section build
Admiralty Models Cross-section Build

Finished build
Pegasus, 1776, cross-section

Current build
Speedwell, 1752

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Very close in scale to my Waterloo figures  at 28mm.

 

OC.

Current builds  


28mm  Battle of Waterloo   attack on La Haye Saint   Diorama.

1/700  HMS Hood   Flyhawk   with  PE, Resin  and Wood Decking.

 

 

 

Completed works.

 

Dragon 1/700 HMS Edinburgh type 42 batch 3 Destroyer plastic.

HMS Warspite Academy 1/350 plastic kit and wem parts.

HMS Trafalgar Airfix 1/350 submarine  plastic.

Black Pearl  1/72  Revell   with  pirate crew.

Revell  1/48  Mosquito  B IV

Eduard  1/48  Spitfire IX

ICM    1/48   Seafire Mk.III   Special Conversion

1/48  Kinetic  Sea Harrier  FRS1

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I was never a fan of using these, but if they are as well made as you show Greg, I have changed my mind.  The best small military figures I have ever seen in person were made by Ed Tosti (Naiad and Young America books and builds).  If I recall correctly, when I saw them in his display at home, he told me this was his passion before ship modeling took over.        

 

PLEASE take 30 SECONDS and sign up for the epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series.   Click on http://trafalgar.tv   There is no cost other than the 30 seconds of your time.  THANK YOU

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

These are not a patch on the artist ones above, but here are my 1/64 scale (25mm / 1 inch) Amati white metal figures I have just finished painting for my current "Bounty" build.

 

20210525_153451.jpg

20210525_153424.jpg

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  • 3 months later...

Happy to see this post. I have been looking for 1/64 scale figures for my Amapá. I found some railroad figures at Michael's and I intend to convert them to Brazilian Navy seamen for my gunboat. Good to see another potential supplier of scale figures. I need one officer, a helmsman and maybe 2 seamen for the gun. I will follow this post.

Ras

 

Current builds:

Stern Paddle Wheeler ZULU-1916-1/48 scale

Previous builds:

Freccia Celeste-1927 350cc racing motorcycle-1:9 scale-Protar kit

Boeing B17F- 1/72 scale- Hasegawa kit

HMS Mimi-scale 1/24-Fast Motor Launch                               

Amapá 1907-1/64 scale-Brazilian Customs Cruiser

Scottish Motor Fifie. 1/32 scale. Amati kit

Patricia. Steam powered R/C launch. 1/12 scale. Krick Kit

African Queen. Steam powered  R/C launch. 1/24 scale. Billings ki

Emma C. Berry. Sailing fishing smack. 1/32 scale. Model Shipways kit.

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Ras, 

This topic has not had an entry in four months so may not get fast or many responses.  You might want to consider PMing Greg, who started this topic, for contact information.

Allan

Edited by allanyed

PLEASE take 30 SECONDS and sign up for the epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series.   Click on http://trafalgar.tv   There is no cost other than the 30 seconds of your time.  THANK YOU

 

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Thanks Allan. I will look for PMing Greg.

Ras

 

Current builds:

Stern Paddle Wheeler ZULU-1916-1/48 scale

Previous builds:

Freccia Celeste-1927 350cc racing motorcycle-1:9 scale-Protar kit

Boeing B17F- 1/72 scale- Hasegawa kit

HMS Mimi-scale 1/24-Fast Motor Launch                               

Amapá 1907-1/64 scale-Brazilian Customs Cruiser

Scottish Motor Fifie. 1/32 scale. Amati kit

Patricia. Steam powered R/C launch. 1/12 scale. Krick Kit

African Queen. Steam powered  R/C launch. 1/24 scale. Billings ki

Emma C. Berry. Sailing fishing smack. 1/32 scale. Model Shipways kit.

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A source of STLs for 3d printing which might be of use are here: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-cannon-crew-for-model-ships-1750-1820-165771

 

plus some other items he has for medieval and Anglo Dutch period sailors, and some ordnance items.

Not sure what his future plans are, but he is quite responsive to reasonable requests if they make sense and fit in with his interests

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I like to add a couple of crew figures to any model for two reasons - to give a sense of the scale, and to humanize it so that it is not just a machine. 

In 1/64 scale we appear to be limited to Captain Amati and his crew. Andrew in #5 above gives his captain more detail in the eyes than I have managed with mine. Amati are nicely cast but pricey, and the metal is hard to file so that parts of the figure which require an undercut take a lot of work. The captain's telescope is one example where a fillet of metal has to be removed. I drill a hole into one foot of the figure and glue in a wire so there is something to hold while painting. 

 

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There is more choice in 1/72 scale and at reasonable prices. HaT make a set of sailors and marines in plastic, and Newline Designs make white metal figures that have realistic proportions. A lot of the wargames figures follow a convention of big hands and big heads so check them before you buy. https://newlinedesigns.co.uk/product-category/newline-designs-20mm-ranges/newline-designs-20mm-ranges-napoleonics/newline-designs-20mm-ranges-napoleonics-naval/

 

I do not know about other scales such as 1/48. 

 

George

 

 

George Bandurek

Near the coast in Sussex, England

 

Current build: HMS Whiting (Caldercraft Ballahoo with enhancements)

 

Previous builds: Cutter Sherbourne (Caldercraft) and many non-ship models

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hello!

 

Finishing my Le Coureur i decided to give a chance of having a scale "sensor".

 

So i gave a shot on some WWII 1:48 plastic kits i had. So i converted Soviet ground personel into XVIII's Century french sailors and officers.

 

Here are some pictures.

 

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Maybe with some better painting skills the resaults are better.

 

Greetings.

 

Giorgio.

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  • 1 month later...

Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     Utrecht-1742

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale      Echo Cross Section   NRG Rigging Project 

                           Utrecht-1742

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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Thanks Toni. I may order one to help me with a sense of scale.

Richard

Current Build: Early 19th Century US Revenue Cutter (Artesania Latina "Dallas" - messed about)

Completed Build: Yakatabune - Japanese - Woody Joe mini

Member: Nautical Research Guild & Midwest Model Shipwrights

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3 hours ago, tlevine said:

Any possibility of the NRG offering those figures as 1:64 scale?  

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Thanks, Richard.  I just "spot" looked and didn't see any.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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5 hours ago, Roger Pellett said:

 

 

Model Railroad “S” scale is 1/64.  The old American Flyer electric trains were S scale and still have a devoted following.  Check specialty model railroad suppliers.

  Incidentally, Marx 'scale tinplate' has S gauge bodies on O gauge trucks.  This is why some S scale train operators drill out the trucks of Marx rolling stock and replace them with S scale trucks.  Great idea for figures, and I found a hobby store with 'old' stock figures in several sizes ... such stores are still 'here and there' but growing fewer as the years pass.  'Just viewed 'Master and Commander' again on cable streaming ... good to see once in a while.  Now there was a flogging in the film (not uncommon in the British Navy back in the day), and I wonder if anyone put figures on a sailing ship model representing such a punishment witnessed by the crew (standard procedure).

Completed builds:  Khufu Solar Barge - 1:72 Woody Joe

Current project(s): Gorch Fock restoration 1:100, Billing Wasa (bust) - 1:100 Billings, Great Harry (bust) 1:88 ex. Sergal 1:65

 

 

 

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  • 2 years later...

My first attempt at crew figures. These are somewhat later period of course,  trying to represent RN uniform of 1830s for Occre HMS Beagle. I'll try again with different pose and more work on the heads/faces. These are 25mm figures. I made2 piece wire armatures (0.7mm wire) then experimented with building up with Greenstuff, Fimo and Milliput. I actually found the latter 2 clays easier to use, although Greenstuff sticks more easily to the wire armature. 

20240817_195712.jpg

20240817_195737.jpg

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Second attempt at Captain Fitzroy. Two piece wire armature fixed with superglue. I coated the wire armature with thin layer of Greenstuff. I don't like the texture of Greenstuff and found it difficult to sculpt detail, although it seems to be widely used for making fantasy figures. The thin coating of Greenstuff then coated with Fimo Professional.This doesn't stick well to the wire but adheres better to the Greenstuff layer. This is much better for sculpting. You just bake it in normal oven at 110 degrees C for 30 mins. Then I added for Fimo and sculpted the head, baked again, then added Fimo for hat. Once again 25mm high, 1:60 scale. This took several hours last night and then painting this morning. But should be doable to produce a Darwin figure and a few representative crew and marines.

F1.jpg

F2.jpg

F3.jpg

F4.jpg

F5.jpg

F6.jpg

F8.jpg

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Nice sculpting indeed!

 

Somehow I had the same experience with 'Greenstuff'. It didn't seem to stick to polystyren figures, which I used as a basis very well at all. Got some, as most figure sculpturers seem to use it and I have seen great results with it. Perhaps it is a matter of technique? I don't do sculpting very often.

 

Some people use twisted wire armatures, to which the sculpting material should adhere a bit better. On the other hand, this means a softer armature.

wefalck

 

panta rhei - Everything is in flux

 

 

M-et-M-72.jpg  Banner-AKHS-72.jpg  Banner-AAMM-72.jpg  ImagoOrbis-72.jpg
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A couple more pics to show colour better... but I just realised, it looks as though Captain Fitzroy is wearing jeans! I would be interested to hear if anyone has had better experience modelling figures with Greenstuff? Otherwise, my crewman dressed in white slops was sculpted in terracotta Milliput directly onto wire frame, or Fitzroy (mark 2) in Fimo Professional over a thin layer of Greenstuff over wire are worth trying.

Fa.jpg

Fb.jpg

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This thread has piqued my curiosity in possibly trying my hand at sculpting some 1:24 scale miniatures.

 

I'm building a 1:24 scale Gunboat Philadelphia and would rather it 'not' look like an abandoned ghost ship when completed. I'd like to have two or three scale figures aboard to give my build a more lifelike appearance. Problem is, I cannot find any 1:24 scale figures for sale that would be period correct for a Continental Gunboat built in 1776. Plenty of British pieces found, but not American. I'll need to try and make my own. Fingers are crossed as to the outcome. 

 

I've purchased some polymer clay and wire. The only thing missing is a few period correct drawings, images, etc. of some 'Ordinary Seaman' types of crew members. 1776 Continental Officers and their uniforms are easy to find. I don't need officers. I need to know what the lower ranking Continental sailors dressed like in 1776. 

 

If anyone has any images or links to share, I'd be grateful!

Clayandwire.thumb.jpg.3c4b6bc890f3c3b8bedec4a85b83352d.jpg

 

    

"The journey of a thousand miles is only the beginning of a thousand journeys!"

 

Current Build;

 1776 Gunboat Philadelphia, Navy-Board Style, Scratch Build 1:24 Scale

On the Drawing Board;

1777 Continental Frigate 'Hancock', Scratch Build, Admiralty/Pseudo Hahn Style, "In work, active in CAD design stage!"

In dry dock;

Scratch Build of USS Constitution... on hold until further notice, if any.

Constructro 'Cutty Sark' ... Hull completed, awaiting historically accurate modifications to the deck, deck houses, etc., "Gathering Dust!"

Corel HMS Victory Cross Section kit "BASH"... being neglected!

 

 

 

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Hi tmj,

That sounds like a good project. I think 1:24 will be a nice scale to sculpt in. You have a similar issue to me... I couldn't find any 1:64/1:60 scale figures of Royal Navy crew from 1830s. Online I found images of uniforms, although mainly for officers. RN crewmen wore less formal uniforms, slops, even in 1830s. Was it the same on American ships? I found it harder to find images of 1830s pattern Royal Marine other ranks uniforms.

 

For your armatures, what gauge/diameter wire will you use? At your larger scale, you will probably need thicker wire than me, or twist strands together. Good luck and I look forward to seeing your results :)

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Posted (edited)
On 8/27/2024 at 3:25 AM, embojo said:

For your armatures, what gauge/diameter wire will you use? At your larger scale, you will probably need thicker wire than me, or twist strands together

Not sure about the wire just yet. I have some 1mm aluminum wire and also some 1.5mm steel wire to work with. I'm thinking that I'll go with the thicker steel wire for much more rigidity without doubling it up, twisting etc. I'll either solder, or TIG weld the shoulders and the hips to the spine for a solid connection. This is something totally new to me. I'll do what I need to do to put a good armature together, however. The true test will come when it's time to start adding putty, clay and details. Fingers are crossed. I've also been studying videos of sculpting miniatures on YouTube, concerning how to build an accurate armature with proper proportions. The image below is an example of how I will begin with a 1:24 scale figure. I downloaded an armature chart and resized it, in Cad, to reflect the actual size(s) of 3 different 1:24 scale armatures that I will need to construct... one figure will be 5'-3" in height, one figure at 5'-6", and one figure at 6'-0" tall. I'll be able to use my scaled CAD drawings as full-sized templates for cutting the wire(s) to proper lengths and also for properly measuring/locating the hips and shoulders along the spine. Pass or fail, this should prove to be a fun attempt at sculping miniatures.

 

If you have any hints, tips, etc. for someone who has never tried this before... "Please chime in!" I'll need all the help I can get! 🙂 

WireArmatures.jpg.4a525a71de95f3c90960be31a20bb0ba.jpg        

Edited by tmj

"The journey of a thousand miles is only the beginning of a thousand journeys!"

 

Current Build;

 1776 Gunboat Philadelphia, Navy-Board Style, Scratch Build 1:24 Scale

On the Drawing Board;

1777 Continental Frigate 'Hancock', Scratch Build, Admiralty/Pseudo Hahn Style, "In work, active in CAD design stage!"

In dry dock;

Scratch Build of USS Constitution... on hold until further notice, if any.

Constructro 'Cutty Sark' ... Hull completed, awaiting historically accurate modifications to the deck, deck houses, etc., "Gathering Dust!"

Corel HMS Victory Cross Section kit "BASH"... being neglected!

 

 

 

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Posted (edited)

I haven't tried sculpting figures - the ones above are amazing. But I do carve them out of wood. Here are a couple I'm putting on my latest build, a mediaeval (c. 1150 AD) merchant ship at 1:75 scale. They are the owners of the ship, and IIRC are carved from pear wood.

 

image.png.cc44e8e7ceaca49fb94ee96d10a4e252.png  image.png.503c315f7bf4cb19bd445ad81c510238.png

image.png.fa53b40d948461897d763089a2b602e1.png

Steven

 

Edited by Louie da fly
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